Improved hay-tedder



T. C. CRAVEN.

Hay Tedder.

Patented Nov. 16, 1869.

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THOMAS C. CRAVEN, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK, ASSIG-NOR TO WILLIAM L. AND HENRYK. BOYER.

Letters Patent N 96,892, dated November 16, 1869.

IMPROVED HAY-TBDDER.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of thesame I, THOMAS C. Onavns, of the city and county of Albany, and State ofNew York, have invented certain Improvements in Hay-Tedding Machines, ofwhich the'following is a specification.

The first part of my invention relates to the arrangement of the reeland carrying-wheel upon the same axial line, in such manner that therear girt of the frame shall serve as a support for both, while at thesame time the reel is brought forward into such position as will enableit to pick up'tho hay in advance of the line of tread of saiddrivingavheels.

The second part of my invention relates to connecting the arms orreel-heads by means of a continuous sleeve, which surrounds and rotatesupon the rear girt of the frame;.and, in connection with this sleeve, Imount an intermediate reel-head, or set of arms made adjustable, bymeans of which I am enabled to secure all of the ribs or bars of thereel in their proper position, and also to remove any or all of them atwill, by the employment of the single set-screw or key used forfastening the arms upon the sleeve.

Figure l is a horizontal sectional view, taken through lme a; y, fig. 2;and

Figure 2 is a. view of that part of the machine lying outside of line1-2, fig. 1, said view being taken from the inside.

A A are the main driving-wheels, upouwhichis supported the frame of thetedder, consisting of the side pieces B B, transverse bar B, and girt,or bar 0. The pieces B B and bar B may be made of any suitable materialand form, as convenience shall dictate, but the girt I make preferablyof iron, in order to keep its size down as small as is possible, to savefriction, while at the same time the requisite amount of strength isattained.

Each end of girt O'is rigidly secured to side pieces B, and thus formthe rear portion of the frame, and also a. support for: all of theoperating parts of the tedder, as follows:

- D is a continuous sleeve surromiding girt 0-.

Mounted upon this sleeve are three sets of arms, (1 61, each provided,at its outer end, with a socket, into which sockets are inserted theribs E. thus forming the reel.

The arms (Z are adjusted upon sleeve D, by means of set-screws d", inhubs D D, for a purpose which will be hereinafter explained.

The reel is driven by a train of planetary gears, as follows:

F is a rim, provided with cogs upon its inner periphery, and attached toand supported upon the frame by means of arms F. An inwardly-projectingextension of this rim F constitutes a hoop or band, such as is usuallyemployed in this class of machines to prevent the hay from becomingentangled with the revolving reel.

H is a disk, mounted loosely upon girt O. This disk is connected withand carried by the main driving-wheels A, by means of backing ratchets hengaging with a ratchet-wheel, H, on disk H. Said driving-wheels alsorotate freely upon girt (l, as an axis.

71. is a traversing pinion, carried by an arm of disk 0.

h is an intermediate pinion, also carried by disk H.

d is a pinion rigidly attached to huh I), for thepurpose of rotating thereel.

The tcdder is provided with a set of the above-dcscribeddriving-mechanism at each end of the reel, as shown in fig. 1.

The operation of the tedder is as follows:

As it is drawn over the field, the driving-wheels are rotated upon girtO, carrying with them disk H and pinions h if. Pinion it engages withtoothed rim l which, being stationary, causes said pinion h to revolvebackward, that is, in a direction contrary to that in whichdriving-wheel A is revolving. Pinion h, engaging with pinion 71 rotatesit (pinion h?) forward, and pinion 11. engaging with pinion [1 rotatesthis one, together with the reel, in a reverse or backward direction.

It will be seen, that 'by thus mounting the reel upon an axis coincidentwith the centre of the carrywheel's, I am enabled to pick up the hay inadval'ice of the line, of tread of said carrying-wheels, and, furtherthan that, by rotating the reel in a backward direction, I pick it upstill further in. advance, thus removing all liability to clog or chokethe machine by running upon the swath, and thus holding it to theground.

It will also be apparent, that by loosening the set! screw in theintermediate hub D and turning it and arms (1 around upon sleeve 0 ashort distance, the ribs E can be readily removed, without disturbingthe arms at the ends of the reel.

Having now described my invention,

\Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The stationary girt, C, supporting the rotating continuous sleeve orcentral tubular shaft D of the skeleton reel, in combinatiou'wit-h theframe B B B and wheels A A, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of the girt 0, continuous sleeve or tubular shaft D,arms (I and (Z and ribs E, substan-

